THE Syfy Channel celebrates America’s birthday with a 20-hour July 4th marathon of the cult classic The Greatest American Hero, which hasn’t been seen on national television since its original network run in 1983. The holiday celebration airs Sunday, July 4th from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST/PST.

Featuring a most unlikely superhero, The Greatest American Hero aired from 1981-83 and stars William Katt, Robert Culp and Connie Selleca. Katt portrays Ralph Hinkley, a young high school teacher in Los Angeles who is set upon by extraterrestrials while on a field trip in the desert. The aliens give him an incredible red flying suit with unknown powers – unfortunately, Ralph loses the instruction book. Culp plays a neurotic FBI agent who persuades Ralph to use his new powers to fight crime. Selleca is Ralph’s girlfriend, an attorney.

Earlier this week, NBC announced its 2010-2011 primetime line-up, which includes conspiracy, espionage and costumed crime fighting. Here are some of those highlights:

The Event is an emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, The Class), an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Lelia (Sarah Roemer, Disturbia), and unwittingly beings to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean’s quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Golden Globe nominee Blair Underwood, In Treatment), Sophia (Emmy award nominee Laura Innes, ER), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees, and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, Gilmore Girls). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind. Ian Anthony Dale (Daybreak) and Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek (Damages) also star in this ensemble drama. The Event is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (Medium, Facing Kate) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters (The 4400, Eureka) is creator/co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (Friday Night Lights, Trauma) is the director/executive producer. Evan Katz (24) is also an executive producer. Check out http://nbc.com/the-event/ for more information.

NBC's Undercovers. Photo copyright of NBC

Acclaimed writer/producer/director J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Fringe, Lost, Alias) serves as co-writer, executive producer – and also directs – his first direction of a TV series pilot since Lost in Undercovers with executive producer/writer Josh Reims (Brothers and Sisters). Undercovers is a sexy, fun, action-packed spy drama that proves once and for all that marriage is still the world’s most dangerous partnership. Outwardly, Steven Bloom (Boris Kodjoe, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion, Soul Food, Resident Evil: Afterlife) and his wife, Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Doctor Who, Bonekickers), are a typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles and are helped by Samantha’s easily frazzled younger sister, Lizzy (Jessica Parker Kennedy, Smallville). Secretly, the duo were two of the CIA’s best spies until they fell in love on the job five years ago and retired. When fellow spy and friend Nash (Carter MacIntyre, American Heiress) goes missing while on the trail of a Russian arms dealer, the Blooms are reinstated by boss Carlton Shaw (Gerald McRaney, Deadwood) to locate and rescue Nash. The pair is thrust back into the world of espionage as they follow leads that span the globe – and Steven and Samantha realize that this supercharged, undercover lifestyle provides the excitement and romance that their marriage has been missing. Undercovers is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was written by J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims and directed by Abrams. Abrams, Reims and Bryan Burk (Fringe, Lost, Alias) are the executive producers. Check out http://www.nbc.com/undercovers/ for more information.

NBC's The Cape. Photo copyright of NBC

The Cape is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons (ER) as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, Life On Mars) and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, Flash Forward). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes “The Cape,” his son’s favorite comic book superhero – and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain (The Tudors) as billionaire Peter Fleming – The Cape’s nemesis – who moonlights as the twisted killer Chess; Keith David (Death at a Funeral) as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick (Six Degrees) as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday. The Cape is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Thomas Wheeler (Empire), executive producer/director Simon West (Con Air), the executive producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun (NBC’s Mercy) and executive producer Gene Stein (Accidentally on Purpose). Check out http://www.nbc.com/the-cape/ for more information.

As noted above, all photos copyright of NBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

ON the weekend of May 8th, 9th and 10th, 2009, Battlestar Galactica fans will have a chance to own their very own piece (or pieces) of their favorite Sci-Fi TV show when NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group teams up once again with Propworx to auction off hundreds of items from the iconic Sci Fi Channel TV series, which ended its weekly TV run on March 20th, 2009. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit United Way.

Among the over 900 items included in this auction is Lee Adama’s (Jamie Bamber) bomber jacket, which was worn in the “Daybreak” flashback scene, the abstract painting that Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) painted in her apartment on Caprica before the Cylon attack, Admiral Adama’s (Edward James Olmos) desk chair, a full-size Viper Mark II ship and a full-size Blackbird Stealth ship. The auction will be held on the above dates at the Pasadena Convention Center (go to www.pasadenacenter.com for a complete schedule of events). The auction will also stream live at the Auction Network site (www.auctionnetwork.com). For more information and to view the auction catalog, please visit www.battlestarprops.com

FOR a very different perspective on your favorite comic book superhero, make sure to tune into Confessions of a Superhero. This feature-length documentary, directed by Matt Ogens, chronicles the lives of four ordinary human beings who make their living working as superhero characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. Joe McQueen a.k. a. The Hulk sold his Super Nintendo for a bus ticket to Los Angeles; Jennifer Gehrt, known as Wonder Woman, is a Midwest homecoming-queen-turned-wannabe-actress; Max Allen, who appears as Batman, struggles with anger and his resemblance to George Clooney, while Christopher Lloyd Dennis (son of Academy Award-winning actress Sandy Dennis), who has portrayed Superman on the boulevard for over 11 years, is consumed by the Man of Steel. Running 92 minutes, this documentary airs on the Sundance Channel on April 13th, 2009 @ 9 p.m. ET/PT.